All What to see in Noto

World Heritage site since 2002 thanks to its beautiful baroque-style historic old town, Noto has become a favorite and much appreciated destination very much in demand by Italian and foreign tourists. Located about 30 km south-west from Syracuse, it maintains the finest examples of Sicilian Baroque.

In 2007, after seven years of restoration Noto’s Cathedral has returned to its former glory. For those who find themselves in Sicily in May, not to be missed is the “Infiorata”, a floral event among the most beautiful and colorful in Italy.

Noto was rebuilt on the hill of Meti, which offers a great view over the plains of the river Tellaro and the coast. Rebuilt in two different clusters, Noto is divided in low and high.

The first, more elegant, would accommodate the religious and political authorities, while the second would house the people. The main street is Corso Vittorio Emanuele, interrupted by three squares, including the Town Hall Square, the heart of the historic center. The historic center can be accessed from the east, from Viale Marconi passing through the Porta Reale.

The Cathedral

The Cathedral is one of the most beautiful and famous expressions of Noto. It was built immediately after the earthquake, but the realization lasted until 1776. Damaged by the earthquake of 1990, it suffered severe collapse in 1996.

The restoration work was completed in 2007, which saw a massive celebration with the presence of the major Italian institutional representatives. Preceded by a grand staircase formed by three different ramps, it opens onto the impressive façade of the Town Hall Square. Particularly noteworthy are the two towers on either side of the central portal in bronze.

The style is simple: it lacks the components of the typical eclectic neoclassic baroque. Especially beautiful at night when the artificial lights reflect on the honey-colored stone: the effect is enchanting.

The structure is composed of three naves: inside, the recent restorations have given the original white color of the first paintings it had in the fifties. Of particular interest is the silver ark dating from the sixteenth century, which houses the remains of the patron saint of the city, Corrado Confalonieri.

Ducezio Palace

Ducezio Palace is home to the Town Hall, located just in front of the Cathedral. The original building, which began in the eighteenth century, involved the creation of only one floor. The second floor is due to an expansion project that took place in the fifties of the twentieth century.

The building, dedicated to the historic leader who opposed the Greek domination, comes with eleven arches, three of which, the main ones, form a semicircle. In the main hall, which in the past has seen among the guests, kings and noblemen, a majestic fresco of the eighteenth century stands out on the ceiling: Ducetius indicating the site of Noto Antica.

The Church of San Salvatore

The Church of San Salvatore, also located in the Town Hall Square, was built in the late eighteenth century. As for the other constructions of this period, there are no special decorations on the facade. Rather was preferred a more austere style. Inside, of exquisite workmanship, is noted the fresco on the vault, the Descent of the Holy Spirit.

The Church of San Domenico

The Church of San Domenico is set in Piazza XVI in April, in the western part of the city. For the harmony of form and elegance of the structure it is considered by many the most representative example of the Baroque of Noto.

Beautiful is the facade but even more intriguing is the interior in a circular design with five different domes decorated with stucco. In the same square are also the Municipal Theatre and the Villa of Hercules, a nineteenth-century garden in which is located the famous fountain dating back to Noto Antica.

The Church of the Crucifix

The Church of the Crucifix is the largest of Noto Alta.

The facade even though incomplete, still transmits its grandeur. Its interior is full of important works of art: the marble sculpture “The Madonna of the Snow” of 1471; two Romanesque lions; a large organ of the late nineteenth century; three high chairs in wood with gold decorations; also, jealously guarded are the Holy Thorn, believed to belong to the crown of thorns of Jesus Christ, preserved in a reliquary of gold and silver, and the Greek cross, made of white gold within which there would be a splinter of the cross of Christ.

Real door is the entrance on Corso Vittorio Emanuele, the main street of the city. The gate was erected in 1838 in honor of King Ferdinand II of Bourbon, who in that year went to visit Noto. At the height of the monument there are a tower, a dog and a pelican respectively symbolizing the strength, the loyalty and the devotion of the people towards the French crown.

The floral display

For over thirty years the “Infiorata” has been a tradition for the third weekend in May, when in via Nicolaci are exhibited the works of floral artists: either reproductions of famous paintings or original drawings, it doesn’t really matters…what matters is that they are all created by the genius of its own creator using flower petals.

The celebration has now turned into a major event: the city welcomes tourists and visitors who invade the streets of Noto to admire these true and real works of art, a triumph of colors and scents without equal.

Those who decide to book some accommodation in the city will do well to do it with a few weeks in advance.

Historical Background of Noto

The first human settlements in the area date to the Sicilians in the prehistoric period. In a long period of time over five centuries, few small villages emerged, such as the “Civilta’ di Castelluccio” and the “Cultura del Finocchito”, made famous in antiquity for the manufacture of cloth and ceramics.

During the advent of the Greeks the city began a steady economic and population growth, but it was after the arrival of the Romans that Noto distinguished itself from the other towns of southern Sicily: in fact it was proclaimed a federated city of the Empire, like Taormina and Messina.

After the Arab conquest, Noto increased its prestige and became a center of primary importance not only in Sicily, but of the entire Mediterranean basin. Sicily in fact, was divided into three different administrative areas and Noto was placed at the head of the south-east: the Val di Noto.

But it was after the earthquake of 1693 that Noto radically changed its story. Razed to the ground by the earthquake, the reconstruction of the city happened at about fifteen kilometers from the previous settlement.

The urban project made use of foreign engineers and the construction of the buildings was entrusted to the best local labor. The ensuing result is still clearly visible today: the most exciting urban-architectural expression of Sicilian Baroque.

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Noto by Night

The atmosphere of Noto is ideal for those looking for a quiet evening in an elegant resort. A walk in the “Corso” is ideal for couples and families, while enjoying a delicious ice cream, product of very skilled local artisans.

The restaurants however, offer excellent cuisine, combining quality with affordable price. Not infrequently there are concerts, parades and folk performances to enliven the carefree evenings of Noto, a beautiful and elegant city of Sicily.

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